Former President sentenced to death
A military court in the Democratic Republic of Congo has sentenced former President Joseph Kabila to death in absentia, convicting him of crimes including war crimes according to the BBC news.
In a dramatic turn that’s rocking the heart of Africa, a military court here today slapped former President Joseph Kabila with a death sentence.
The ruling, handed down without him even in the room, brands the one-time strongman guilty of heinous acts like treason, war crimes, murder, torture, and even sexual assault.
The High Military Court, led by Lieutenant-General Joseph Mutombo Katalayi, dropped the hammer after a trial that kicked off back in July. Kabila, 53 and out of sight for two years now, wasn’t there to face the music.
Prosecutors painted him as the brains behind a plot to topple current President Felix Tshisekedi, all while backing the ruthless M23 rebels who’ve been tearing through the mineral-rich east of the country.
Kabila stands accused of egging them on, plotting an uprising, and even greenlighting horrors like killings and rapes tied to their rampage. The court didn’t hold back, nailing him on charges that scream betrayal of his own people.
Kabila’s camp is firing back hard, calling the whole thing a “sham” and a blatant political hit job to muzzle the opposition.
His People’s Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD) labeled it “persecution,” insisting the trial’s rigged to keep their man sidelined. Kabila himself slammed the courts as tools of “oppression” before vanishing from the spotlight.
And get this: While Congo brought back the death penalty last year after a long freeze, nobody’s actually been put to death by the state since the bad old days.
So, is this verdict more bark than bite? Flash back to Kabila’s wild ride. He stepped into power in 2001 after his dad, Laurent, was gunned down in a coup. For nearly two decades, he steered the DRC through ups and downs – elections that sparked riots, peace deals that fizzled, and a handover to Tshisekedi in 2019 that still feels shaky.
But lately? Whispers of him cosying up to rebels turned into full-blown accusations. Last year, Tshisekedi pointed the finger straight at him for stoking the M23 fire and scheming a comeback.
Kabila denies it all, but the court’s not buying. Rwanda, meanwhile, swears it’s hands-off with M23, but UN watchdogs say otherwise – claiming Rwandan troops are knee-deep in the fight.
This mess has the east in flames, with thousands dead or on the run, and the world’s eyes glued to Congo’s endless struggle for stability. As the gavel fell today, Congo’s streets buzzed with tension. Will this seal Kabila’s fate, or just amp up the power plays? One thing’s clear: In a nation scarred by conflict, today’s ruling is a thunderclap that could echo for years. Stay tuned – the Congo’s story is far from over…CONTINUE MORE READING>>>